Personal pronouns

Chinese pronouns are refreshingly simple: 我 (I, me), 你 (you), 他 (he, him), 她 (she, her). They never change form: “I” and “me” are both 我.

To make a plural, just add 们 (men): 我们 (we/us), 你们 (you all), 他们 (they), 她们 (they, all female). A mixed group uses 他们.

您 (nín) is the polite form of 你, a bit like “sir/madam” built into the word. Use it with teachers, older people and customers.

In speech, 他 and 她 sound exactly the same: tā. Only writing tells them apart.